Wire cleaning and coating machine.



C. C. WICKWIH'Ll WIRE CLEANING AND CQATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION msu MAR. 2o, 1911I 1,24%153.v y N Patented o@t`.23,1917..

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(IrC. WICKWIRE! WIRE CLEANING AND CO'ATING. MACHULE.

APPLICATION man ma. 2o. 1911.

1,244,153. A Patented om. 23,1917.

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` wlmi CLEANING AND COATING MACHINE.

'APPLICATION mxo' mm. 2o. |911.

Patented Oct. 23,1917.

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C. C. WICKWIRE.

WIRE CLEANING AND COATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED III/In. 2o, Isn.

1,244,153. I Patented oct. 23,1917.

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WIRE CLEANING AND COATlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION mio MAR. 2o. 1911.

1,244,153. .l Patented 0cn23,1917.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

CHARLES C.l WICKIIRE, OF GOBT-LAN D, NEW YORK.

WIRE CLEANING AND CoArING MACHINE. f

To all whom it may concern:

`Be it known that I, CHARLES C. WICK- WIRE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cortland, in the county of Cortland and State of New York, have invented cer-- The invention provides a device inwhich the coils of wire are elevated andV transferred froml each of the successive p'ickling,l

washing and coating solutions to the next, and in which the` duration of' treatment in each 'solution may be determined b the op-` erator for each load-or batch of wlre. 'The invention also provides a simple and effective valve and valve mechanism foreach hoist, which automatically causes reciprocation'of athe wire coil carriers in a vertical direction when in their lower positions.

.The 'coil carriers are further so formed that when reciprocated they cause a slow rotation of the coils hung. thereon. This reciprocation and rotation of the coils 1s peculiarly effective inA loosening` scale andv other adherent matter andA secures a com-4 plete Vand effective action of .the various solutions. A

I illustrate an actual and successful embodiment of the inventibn in ythe accom-- panying drawings, in which Figure l is a view'of the complete device partly-in elevation' and partly in section,

the llne ofsection,` being shown at 1-1 in Fig.2;. A

, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional plan on the 1ine2-2of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fra tional view on the line 3-'3 o Fig.` 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one hoist element showing the .hoist lowered and the valve mechanism operative to produce reci'pllocationfthe` hoist being about to start an".

upward movement; v l Fig. 5 is a section showing the valve 1n the position it assumes in Fig54;

Fig. 6 is a 'fragmentary' view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the hostabgut to `start a downward reciprocative movement;

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 5 showing the valve in the position it assumes 1n Fig. 6;

and coating wire to'prepare i't for` entary' sec-l Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct, 23, 1917,

l Application led March 20, 191,7. Seria1,No.156,158.

Fig. 8l is a sideielevation of the valve` control for the hoist onan enlarged scale;

Fig. 9 is a' section on the line 9-9 of F ig. 8; y

Fig. 10 i's a perspective view of the valve latch for causing reciprocative action of` the hoist;

Fig.. 11 is a vertical section through the hoist; and Fig. 12 is a vertical section through the air manifold swivel connection at the of the supporting post.

In the drawings 15 represents fa concrete,

base of generally circular contour provided with `drain gutters 16 and lsupporting ,a

vhead central 4column 17., Arranged yaround the. base-15 are .several tubs or vats 18, six beg ing shown,- and these contain lthe. various cleaning and coating liquids in which the wire is to be ysuccessively immersed. rvA space. is left between the first andI last tubs of the series'to serve as a loadin and dis- A charge platform. The concrete ase 15 is extended` upward in the center as. shown at 19-,to support the column 17 vand also to protect it from acid splashing or overflowing from the-tubs..

`Independently swiveled on the column` 17 by means of straps or collars 20 are two substantially identical hoist frames orjib Each cylinder 22 has asingle actingpiston 23 (see Fig. 11) the rod 24 of which f passes out of the upper end of its cylinder 22 and isl connected to a yoke or plate 25 best shown in Fig. 4, by any approved means such as the nuts 26. [The plate; 25 is similarly c 'nnected to hoist rods 27 which slide in guid s 28 along side cylinder 22 and are connected together atl their` lower' ends, below the lower end of cylinder 22, v by `a plate 4oryoke294 also shown in Fig. 4.

' Thel plate 29 carries byn'ieans` of angle wood or any acid resisting material, intendy braces 30a dependingboard or tongue 31 of y beyond the brackets 32 to form retaining fingers 35. The brackets 32 are not in Vertical alinement with the brackets 33 but are laterally offset infreverse directions as best shown-1n Fig. 1. Since the coils ofwire do not closelyl it around the brackets 32, 33 the reciprocating or churning motion of the carriers in the solutions inthe vats causes" a slow rotation of the coils on the brackets, which is highly beneficial, to the cleaning function particularly. Such rotation is due to the fact that each upper bracket 32 is out of yvertical alinement with the lower bracket y 33, .and that each lowerbracketds so positioned with reference to theinner diameter of thecoil as to permit 'said coil `when at the coil causes the latterto' swing or move about such lower bracket as' a center of motion, tending to bring the center of the coil in vertical alinement with the axissof the lower bracket, and to give the coil a new point of support on the upper bracket when the carrier again moves\` upward. This rapidly recurring cycle of operations produces a progressive rotation ofthe coil, and a rapid series of concussions between the carrier 'brackets and 4the coil, which -greatly removal of scale.

In v,order to ient height for loading or unloading, a strut 36 is provided back of the top of cylinder 22 and may be .swung forward by means of an 4phere through a port 42. yand ,11.) The, lap 43 of the valve 38 controls arm 37 so as to enter beneath yoke 25 as this is descending. This gives a read support during .loading and avoids' need ess valve yAt the lower or head end of each cylinder 22 is locateda valve 38, together with mechanismfor actuating said valves.l The valve `aids the washing action and detachment and y supportxthe hoist ata convenmanipulation, it being diiicult to hold an air hoistat rest at mid stroke.

38 is an oscillatory `rotary D-valve controlling admission and exhaust. The lcylinder valve chamber 39 receives air or other pressure fluid through an end port 40. Fig., 11.) It communicates with the cylinder'through a port 41 and with the atmos- (See Figs. 5, 7

the "cylinder port 41, and the lap 44 prevents. the escape of air from chamber 39 throughexhaust port 42. The exhaust port 45 of the valve 38serves `in one position to connect cylinder port41to exhaust port 42.

(See A The valve 38 hasa slot inits back and is actuated by a key 46 engaging the valve through said slot, and lhaving a stem 47 exmeans of an arm 49 which has a limited vertical movement. In thelower yposition of arm 49 (see Fig. 5) pressure Huid is admitted to the cylinder through port 41. In the raised position of arm 49 (see Fig. 7) pressure iuid is exhausted from the cyllnder through ports 41, 45 and 42. l

Compressed air is the preferred pressure iuid, and when 'such an expansible pressure fluid is used 'I place a small chamber or reservoir 50 in communication with the supply eport, 40 close to each cylinder, and a globe tending out` through a stufiing box 4,8. The. valve 38 is given a rotary 'oscillationy by sol valve 51 in advance of each such chamber (see Figs. 1, 8 and 11). The valves 51 may each be set to ive a desired slow movement of thehoist with/which it is. associated, iny its full traverse, the effect of the additionalv air volume in-reservoir 5() being to give relatively rapid. reciprocative action of the hoist when the valve 38 is oscillated as hereinafter described. This action of the reservoir is due to the fact that the compressed air inthe reservoir is depleted by a continuous long stroke. When `makingshort reci rocations, air is drawn onlyon the upystro re.. and the reservoir is partially replenished duringfthe down-strokes. The reservoir produces quicker reciprocations equalizing the flow rate through the restricting valve 51.

Air or other suitable pressure iuid is conveyed to valves 51 through tubes 52. As seen in Fig. 1.2, these are connected to nipples 53 on a swivel sleeve 54 which turns on a feed pipe 55 carried by illar v17 at its-to The sleeve 54 is provi ed with a doub e packing-gland arrangement, consisting of perforated spacer 56, gland-nut 57 and two rings of packing 58, one above-'and the other below the spacer.`

T he` column 17` may be stayed by wire or other' tension stays l59 connected to a stay plateO. This is mounted on pipe Y55 above the sleeve 54, as show'in Fig. 1.

To perate the valver 38 through the arm 49 two' mechanisms-are provided, the first automatically operative 1n the lower `position oi' the hoist to cause an oscillating acw tion of the valye and consequent limited reciprocative actlon of the hoist-and the seconda lmanually operateddevice tothrow the first or automatic valve actuator out of acl tion and cause-the complete traverse of the hoist. f u

As' shown in Figsfl, 4,6, 8, 9 and 10, the first of these devices is carried on ade'pendingarm 6l fast on one of the hoist rods. `A striker pin 62 is fast on the arm 61 in such position as to strike the, arm v49 downward near the limit ofdwnward movement of vthe hoist. second striker in the form of the valve.

The manual control device consists of. a

iever 66, pivoied ai 67, and limited in its downward movements by a vstop 68 (see Figs. 1, 4, 6, 8 and 9). It is normally held in an intermediate neutral position by a spring'69. The lever 66 carries a projecting plate 7 0 adapted to engageand lift the arm 49 when the lever is raised from the abovementioned mid position. The arm 66 also carries a roller 71 adapted, when the lever is depressed from mid-position, to engage the dependin trigger 65 andvretract latch 63.

lVhent e lever 66 is in its normal or neutral position and the hoist is' down, latch 63 is in operative position and arm 49 has been lowered by pin 62. This shifts valve 38 and causes the hoist to start upward. Soon, however, latchA 63 strikes and raises arm 49 causing the hoist to start down, a

movement which is again reversed by the collision of pin 62 vwith arm 49. Thus the hoist has a reciprocative movement'of small amplitude. Tosend the *hoist clear up, the lever 66 is moved downward retracting'latch 63 and putting it out of action. To lower v the hoist the lever 66 may then be raised above its normal position thus raising andr holding up the arm 49. As the hoist descends latch 63 Vwill ride over arm 49 and upon the lowering of lever 66 to normal position the reciprocation will commence as before.

This cycle of' operation is repeated for each tub or vat until "the loading point is reached, when the hoist is stopped in partially lowered position by the strut or latch 36 set for that purpose, as shown atthe right-hand side of Fig. 1. l

I have shown two swinging brackets or cranes mounted 4on the post 17, but any de-y sired vnumber may be used, each carrymg a separate hoist with its valve and control devices. It is desirable, however, -that each be Vfree inorder 'to secure complete inde-` pendence of the duration of treatment in the several vats. l

The mechanism isA quickly' and easily handled, and because of 'the churning and rotation of the coils in the solution produces peculiarlyv rapid and "thorough treatment.v

Various'minor modifications obviously are possible vand are contemplated.

When the hoist moves Having thus described my invention,

and rotate the coil so supported; and means for lowering and raising said carrier into and out of said vat.

3. wire lcleaning apparatus comprising a column or support; a plurality of jib cranes carried by and independentl movable about said column; a pluralityo hoists, each carried by a different one of the jib .cranes/ and each provided with a wire carrier; independent control devices for the respective hoists; and a series of vats arranged about the supporting column; whereby each hoist and carrier may be swung 'independently -to position over any vat of the series, and its carrier lowered into orl raised out kof the vat without disturbing other carriers. r

4. *In a wirecleaning device, the combination with avat for holding treating solution, of-a hoist overhanging the vat and provided with a wire carrier havingl coilreceiving arms. out of vertical alinement,v with each other; and means for effecting a ioov more or less rapid vertical reciprocation of- .th'e hoist and carrier,l whereby a coil of wire placed upon the .carrier is moved-V quickly through vthe solution and simultaneously rotated. V

. 5. A wire cleaningfapparatus comprising,

lin combination, a fluid-pressure actuated hoist; a vat :for holding treating solution; a wire carrier movable by said hoist into and out of said vat, and provided with two coilreceiving arms vertically out of alinement with each other; a valve controlling the admission and exhaust of pressure fluid to and from the hoist; manually operable means erse lof said hoist-g and an automatic actuator operative upon said valve when the hoist is in its lower positions, whereby a continuous short and relatively rapid reciprocation of the hoist and carrier is effected androtation of coils of wire on the a vat for containing treating solution; a

Aforactuating said valve to'eliect full trav-y wire carrier movable by said hoist into and out of said vat and provided with laterally o'set coil receiving arms; a reciprocable combined admission and exhaust valvel for the hoist; automatic valve-actuating means movable by the hoist and operative upon said valve to reciprocate the same and thereby cause the hoist to reciprocate witha limited amplitude; and a single manuallyoperable means for rendering said automatic valveactuating means inoperative and for actuating said valve to produce a complete traverse of the hoist.

7. A Wire cleaning device comprising in combination an air hoist; a vat for'holding treating solution; a wire carrier movable by said hoist into and out of said vat; a valve for controlling the admission and'exv,haust of air to and from said hoist; manually operable means for actuating said valve; an automatic actuator operative in the lower positions of said hoist to actuate said valve alternately in reverse directions and cause a limited reciprocation of said hoist; an air supply pipe leading to said valve; means for restricting .the rate of flow through said pipe; and an air chamber communicating with said pipe between said restricting means and valve.

8. A wire cleaning device comprising in combination, a series of 4vats 'for holding treating solution; and aplurality of independently movable traversing hoists movable over said vats, and each including a hoist member, a carrier movable by said hoist into and out of said vats; laterally oiset coil-receiving arms on said carrier, manually operable means for operating said hoist, and automatic means for causing a limited reciprocative action `of said `hoist when lowered.

10. A wire cleaning device comprising in combination a series of vats for holding treating solutions; and a plurality of independently movable traversing hoists mov- 'able over said vats, and each including a fluid pressure actuated hoist, a carrier movable by said hoist into and out of said vats, coil-receiving arms on saidcarrier, a valve for controlling the admission and exhaust of pressure fluid to and from said hoist, automatic means for actuating said valves to cause a limited reciprocative action of said hoist, and manually operable means for controlling the action of said hoist and for .rendering said automatic means inoperative. l

11. A wire cleaning device comprising in combination, a series of vats for holding treating solutions; and a plurality of independently movable ltraversing hoists movable* over said vats, and eachk including a fluid pressure actuated hoist, a carrier movable by said hoist into and out of said vats, laterally 'offset vcoil-receiving arms on said'carrier, a valve for controlling the admission and exhaust of pressure fluid to and from said hoist, automatic meansv for actuating said valves to cause a limited reciprocativ' action of said hoist, and manually operable means for controlling the action of said hoist and for 1 rendering said'automatic means inoperative.

I n testimony whereof I have signed Vmy name to this specification.

CHARLES o. WICKWIRE. 

